Assembly with enhanced insulation

Abstract

An assembly comprising at least one first pocket (3) which contains a thermally insulating material (5) and in which a first controlled atmosphere prevails, and at least one second pocket (7) which surrounds the first pocket and in which a second controlled atmosphere prevails.The first controlled atmosphere is different from the second one and corresponds to a vacuum of 10 Pa or less. The thermally insulating material (5) preferably has open cells with a diameter greater than or equal to 1 micron.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An assembly comprising:
 a plurality of first pockets individually containing at least one thermally insulating material and in which a first atmosphere prevails, the at least one thermally insulating material having open cells with a diameter greater than or equal to 1 micron, 
 at least one second pocket:
 which encloses the plurality of first pockets, 
 in which a second atmosphere prevails, and 
 which includes intermediate parts each interposed between two successive of said plurality of first pockets that each intermediate part joins together, 
 
 characterized in that: 
 the intermediate parts are adapted to allow said plurality of first pockets to be hinged with respect to one another, 
 the second pocket, of which there is only one, and which is peripherally closed at a location of a minor peripheral surface, continuously extends around all the plurality of first pockets at locations of respective major surfaces, up to the minor peripheral surface, 
 on at least a main part of said respective minor and major surfaces, the respective second pocket and plurality of first pockets are:
 applied against one another in pairs, or 
 separated by an empty space, which thus includes no material. 
 
 
     
     
       2. An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first atmosphere is different from the second atmosphere. 
     
     
       3. An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first atmosphere is at a lower pressure than the second atmosphere. 
     
     
       4. An assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first atmosphere is a vacuum having a pressure less than or equal to 10 −1  Pa. 
 
     
     
       5. An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one thermally insulating material has open cells with a diameter greater than or equal to 10 microns. 
     
     
       6. An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each first pocket of the plurality of first pockets comprise at least one polymeric film which confines the atmosphere. 
     
     
       7. An assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein at least some of first pockets of the plurality of first pockets form a single assembly, so that said plurality of first pockets are commonly under said first atmosphere and for this purpose have a single airtight seal at the periphery of all said plurality of first pockets joined together in pairs by said intermediate parts. 
     
     
       8. An assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the second pocket comprises at least one polymeric film which confines the second atmosphere, 
 the polymeric films of the plurality of said first pockets and the second pocket are thermoformable, and 
 in each first pocket of said plurality of first pockets:
 the at least one thermally insulating material defines a three-dimensional porous structure having a shape which is followed by the at least one polymeric film, the three-dimensional porous structure being interposed between two pairs of major surfaces of the polymeric films of the first pockets and the second pocket, respectively, and 
 the polymeric films of the plurality of said first pockets and of the second pocket are thermoformed at said two respective major surfaces, between which the three-dimensional porous structure has at least one of a curved shape, reliefs and recesses. 
 
 
     
     
       9. An assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one thermally insulating material is compressed. 
     
     
       10. An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at least some of first pockets of the plurality of first pockets form a single assembly, so that said plurality of first pockets are commonly under said first atmosphere and for this purpose have a single airtight seal at the periphery of all said plurality of first pockets joined together in pairs by said intermediate parts. 
     
     
       11. An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first pockets of said plurality of first pockets are separated from each other. 
     
     
       12. An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein, between two successive first pockets of said plurality of first pockets, each intermediate part of the second pocket continuously extends from one first pocket of the plurality of first pockets to the next first pocket of said plurality of first pockets. 
     
     
       13. An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the second pocket comprises a metal wall which confines the second atmosphere. 
     
     
       14. An assembly comprising:
 a plurality of first pockets in which a first atmosphere prevails, each of the plurality of first pockets containing a first thermally insulating material, 
 a second pocket:
 encloses the plurality of first pockets, 
 in which a second atmosphere prevails, and 
 which includes intermediate parts, individually interposed between two successive first pockets of said plurality of first pockets that the intermediate part joins together, 
 
 wherein: 
 the intermediate parts are adapted to allow said successive first pockets to be hinged with respect to one another, 
 the thermally insulating materials have individually a first density, 
 between at least some of the first pockets of the plurality of first pockets and the second pocket are interposed second thermally insulating structures, each comprising a second thermally insulating material which is one of a thermally insulating material chemically identical to the first thermally insulating material and a thermally insulating material chemically different from the first thermally insulating material, at least some of the thermally insulating materials of the second thermally insulating structures having a second density lower than the first density, and 
 the respective first thermally insulating materials are respectively superimposed with the respective second thermally insulating structures. 
 
     
     
       15. The assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first atmosphere and the second atmosphere is under vacuum. 
     
     
       16. The assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the second pocket is peripherally closed and continuously extends around all the first pockets of said plurality of first pockets. 
     
     
       17. The assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the first atmosphere and the second atmosphere are under vacuum. 
     
     
       18. The assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the second atmosphere is at a vacuum pressure between less than 10 5  Pa and more than 10 −3  Pa. 
     
     
       19. The assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the first atmosphere is at a first pressure, the second atmosphere is at a second pressure, and the first pressure is different from the second pressure. 
     
     
       20. The assembly according to  claim 19 , wherein the second atmosphere is at a vacuum pressure between less than 10 5  Pa and more than 10 −3  Pa, and the first atmosphere is at a vacuum pressure less than or equal to 10 Pa.